MGH Clinical Research Nurses

The MGH CRN Collaborative

Group Purpose Statement

The MGH Clinical Research Nurse Collaborative aims to connect and empower CRNs at MGH while facilitating collaboration and integration with the greater MGH community.

Through a group led by experienced Clinical Research Nurses, in collaboration with the Department of Nursing and the Munn Center for Nursing Research, the collaborative seeks to cultivate the partnership between research and clinical care through mentorship, collaboration, and education initiatives for Research Nurses, Research Nurse Practitioners, Staff Nurses and other interested individuals at MGH.

Connect with the MGH CRN Collaborative

For more information about the collaborative and how to participate contact tbresnahan2@mgh.harvard.edu or  crncollaborative@massgeneralbrigham.org to be added to our distribution lists.

Join the MGH CRN Collaborative team on Microsoft Teams!

Schedule of meetings for 2025

• Februay 10th: CRN professional Development - Building Connections outside Your Study Team
• April 25th: Annual Clinical Research Nurse Symposium (8:30am-12:30pm - virtual) Beyond the Protocol: Empowering Clinical Research Nurses to Navigate the Research Landscape
• May 15th: Nursing Research Day
• June 9th: Journal Club (CEs)
• August 11th: topic TBD
• October 15th-17th: IACRN Annual Conference (virtual): Advancements in Clinical Reserch Nursing: Building Practice Excellence 2025
• December 8th: Journal Club

All are welcome and anyone who is interested is encouraged to attend!

CRN Collaborative

In 2018 a group of CRN leaders, in partnership with the Munn Center, saw an opportunity to connect CRNs across MGH and increase CRN visibility within the greater MGH community.  Through this group’s early efforts, the first MGH Clinical Research Nurse Reception was held in 2019, and the MGH Clinical Research Nurse Collaborative (initially referred to as the MGH Clinical Research Nurse Steering Committee) was formally established shortly thereafter. Since its inception in 2019, the CRN Collaborative has focused its efforts on identifying CRNs across MGH, growing membership, delineating its mission and goals, and building a community of practice through educational opportunities and networking. As of 2021, the CRN Collaborative had identified over 200 nurses practicing as CRNs at MGH. In addition, they established a core membership which now meets every other month. With the steadfast support of the Munn Center and MGH nursing leadership, the group has hosted several successful programs, including the CRN Fireside Chat: Nursing, Research & Innovation in the time of COVID and several CRN receptions. Currently, the group is in the process of developing a standardized orientation for new CRN hires while also working on publications related to CRN practice.

References

American Nurses Association & International Association of Clinical Research Nurses. (2016). Clinical research nursing: Scope and standards of practice. 

Larkin, M.E., Griffith, C.A., Pitler, L., Donahue, L., & Sbrolla, A. (2012). Building communities of practice: The research nurse round table. Clinical and Translational Science, 5(5), 428–431. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-8062.2012.00435.x

Means, J.H. (1958). Ward 4: The Mallinckrodt research ward of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.

Translational and Clinical Research Centers. (n.d.). https://tcrc.mgh.harvard.edu/about/history